David Coulson

Photojournalist

Beyond The Gun

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Location: Toronto, Canada

Nationality: Canadian

Biography: David Coulson is a photojournalist and visual storyteller based in Toronto, Canada. Positioned at the intersection of environmental and social issues, his work examines the complex yet inextricable link between people and planet. From the wetlands... MORE

A dehorned southern white rhino...ess animals is greatly reduced.

1 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

A dehorned southern white rhino paying down in the grass at the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre in South Africa. The rising poaching epidemic has driven wildlife managers in several South African reserves to take the drastic step of sawing off hundreds of horns every year, before criminal syndicates can get their hands on them. With the poachers’ prize removed, the risk to the hornless animals is greatly reduced.

A "warning poachers wi...’s back than a rhino.

2 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

A "warning poachers will be poached sign" on a barbed wire fence in South Africa. Many in South Africa would rather see a target on a poacher’s back than a rhino.

An elephant grazes in the dista... poached for their ivory tusks.

3 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

An elephant grazes in the distance, in the African savanna of Kruger National Park. Along with rhino, elephant's have also been targeted and poached for their ivory tusks.

An aerial view of Nourish NPO&a...ry, a creche and eco campsites.

4 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

An aerial view of Nourish NPO's ecovillage, located just outside of Kruger National Park, and on the outskirts of a small, impoverished township called Acornhoek. The eco village houses gardens, a library, a creche and eco campsites.

A young girl, Nhlavutelo, poses...nglish and about conservation.

5 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

A young girl, Nhlavutelo, poses for a photo in the hallway of her home, a rural village in the Mpumalanga region of South Africa. She travels everyday to a nearby non-porift, Nourish, to learn English and about conservation.

David lays on the concrete floo...ort eleven other grandchildren.

6 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

David lays on the concrete floor of his home. His grandmother Grace works at Nourish, and helps support eleven other grandchildren.

An young boy leans against a wo... Nourish's eco village.

7 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

An young boy leans against a wooden structure made from recycled bottles at Nourish's eco village.

Grace, one of the village grann...ade from coarsely ground maize.

8 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

Grace, one of the village granny's who work at Nourish, opens a pot filled with pap, a traditional porridge made from coarsely ground maize.

A granny looks on through a Mor...o local communities and lodges.

9 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

A granny looks on through a Moringa tree. The trees are planted, used and sold as health supplements and beauty products to local communities and lodges.

A worker at Nourish eco village...mbers in sustainable practices.

10 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

A worker at Nourish eco village holds a handful of mulch. Through their sustainable farming project, Nourish has established vegetable gardens in their village and has incorporated permaculture principles such as composting and mulching to inspire local community members in sustainable practices.

A group of children help plant ...es in Nourish's garden.

11 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

A group of children help plant vegetables in Nourish's garden.

Children come from the local vi...fe place to learn and have fun.

12 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

Children come from the local village of Sigugule for Nourish's aftercare program, where they can enjoy a safe place to learn and have fun.

Children enjoying a game of soc... Nourish's eco village.

13 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

Children enjoying a game of soccer at Nourish's eco village.

Two children backpacks hanging ...nd their children to preschool.

14 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

Two children backpacks hanging against the colourful wooden wall of Nourish's creche. In 2016, Nourish started its own preschool (creche) in order to cater to vulnerable and marginalised families in the community who could not send their children to preschool.

Nourish's Green Kidz In...that will protect and conserve.

15 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

Nourish's Green Kidz Initiative focuses on environmental education at a Primary School level. The hope and goal is that, through education, a “buffer zone” can be created of conservation minded children that will protect and conserve.

16 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

A young student looks on during...rough their classroom teaching.

17 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

A young student looks on during class - she is one of 1700 students that Nourish directly impacts every week through their classroom teaching.

A school girl has fun dancing a...ool, as her classmates look on.

18 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

A school girl has fun dancing after school, as her classmates look on.

A group of excited boys on a fi...wildlife rehabilitation center.

19 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

A group of excited boys on a field trip to a snake park and wildlife rehabilitation center.

An african school boy holds a p...irst time seeing these animals.

20 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

An african school boy holds a python next two classmates at Kinyonga Reptile Center in South Africa. Field trips are meant to create immersion experiences and opportunities for children, and to break fears and traditional beliefs. For many of the children, the field trips are the first time seeing these animals.

A young boy listens as a Protra...ob and the dangers of poaching.

21 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

A young boy listens as a Protrack Anti-Poaching Unit instructor describes his job and the dangers of poaching.

Pro-Track takes children throug... and damage caused by poaching.

22 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

Pro-Track takes children through their education site, where they talk about the dangers and damage caused by poaching.

A Protrack Anti-Poaching Unit i...tacle at their training course.

23 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

A Protrack Anti-Poaching Unit instructor helps a school girl over an obstacle at their training course.

A Protrack Anti-Poaching Unit r...such as rhino, lion and impala.

24 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

A Protrack Anti-Poaching Unit ranger holds part of a snare in his hands that has been found and seized from the bush. These traps are used to poach animals such as rhino, lion and impala.

A recused rhino calf at the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre.

25 of 25 © 2024 David Coulson

A recused rhino calf at the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre.

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Thumbnail of A dehorned southern white rhino _less animals is greatly reduced.

Thumbnail of A "warning poachers wil_r’s back than a rhino.

Thumbnail of An elephant grazes in the distan_d poached for their ivory tusks.

Thumbnail of An aerial view of Nourish NPO&am_ary, a creche and eco campsites.

Thumbnail of A young girl, Nhlavutelo, poses _English and about conservation.

Thumbnail of David lays on the concrete floor_port eleven other grandchildren.

Thumbnail of An young boy leans against a woo_t Nourish's eco village.

Thumbnail of Grace, one of the village granny_made from coarsely ground maize.

Thumbnail of A granny looks on through a Mori_to local communities and lodges.

Thumbnail of A worker at Nourish eco village _embers in sustainable practices.

Thumbnail of A group of children help plant v_les in Nourish's garden.

Thumbnail of Children come from the local vil_afe place to learn and have fun.

Thumbnail of Children enjoying a game of socc_t Nourish's eco village.

Thumbnail of Two children backpacks hanging a_end their children to preschool.

Thumbnail of Nourish's Green Kidz Ini_ that will protect and conserve.

Thumbnail of Beyond The Gun

Thumbnail of A young student looks on during _hrough their classroom teaching.

Thumbnail of A school girl has fun dancing af_hool, as her classmates look on.

Thumbnail of A group of excited boys on a fie_ wildlife rehabilitation center.

Thumbnail of An african school boy holds a py_first time seeing these animals.

Thumbnail of A young boy listens as a Protrac_job and the dangers of poaching.

Thumbnail of Pro-Track takes children through_s and damage caused by poaching.

Thumbnail of A Protrack Anti-Poaching Unit in_stacle at their training course.

Thumbnail of A Protrack Anti-Poaching Unit ra_ such as rhino, lion and impala.

Thumbnail of A recused rhino calf at the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre.

Private Story

Beyond The Gun

Copyright David Coulson 2024

Updated Mar 2019

Location Hoedspruit

Topics Conservation, Documentary, Education, Photography, Photojournalism, Poverty

“Kill a poacher, save a rhino!” On barbed wire, road signs, windows or bumper stickers, this phrase have become common sentiment for South Africa, a country whose poaching crisis has reached staggering numbers in the last ten years. It is estimated that, on average, three rhinos are killed every day. With such a rate that could barrel the species into extinction, many would rather see a target on a poacher’s back than a rhino.

Yet, just outside of South Africa’s biggest wildlife reserve, Kruger National Park, and on the outskirts of a small, impoverished township called Acornhoek, a non-profit called Nourish has sought to connect this conservation issue back to community issues, believing that poaching is not a one-dimensional problem, and is largely rooted in poverty.

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